KAREN Atkinson's dreams of moving and starting a family have become possible after winning £1,000 in a Chronicle competition.

Karen, 28, of Pyecroft Street, Handbridge, won the property section prize after collecting tokens and answering the tie-breaker, and now hopes to get a bigger rented house to share with boyfriend Andrew Wright.

'It's made my day and it's very very helpful indeed,' said Karen. 'I was not planning to move in the next few months, but I can start looking again now. The house is getting small and I want to start a family in the next couple of years.'

Karen moved from Formby three years ago and teaches charity law at Chester University, while studying for a PhD in Liverpool.

Andrew, a tree surgeon, lives in Tamworth but will move in with Karen when they have a new house.'